Protecting sharks and rays in Pacific waters

© Hannes Klostermann / Ocean Image Bank

Read here in this issue of the Samoa Observer about the New Zealand and Pacific Islands' regional workshop for the Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) project.

FROM | Samoa Observer
WRITTEN BY | The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)

A recent assessment using the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species indicated that more than one-third of sharks, rays, and chimaeras are threatened with extinction.   

Work to protect these species is multi-faceted and can be challenging because of the dependency of many coastal communities on these species for their protein needs. The identification of Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) is one of the approaches to address this biodiversity crisis by ensuring critical habitats for these species are identified and mapped. 

After thorough evaluation, 238 candidate sites were identified to undergo a final review by an independent panel before being listed as such and placed on the ISRA e-Atlas (www.sharkrayareas.org). 

Click here to read it online.